Temple Tuesday

Had a wonderful morning with my parents at the Payson temple today.

It's such a beautiful temple!

The Spirit was powerful and peaceful, I'm so glad I was able to go.

Draper Temple Trip

Yesterday we went to the Draper temple with as many as could go.

The cousins (and Kenzie's friend Skylee) all did baptisms and the adults did sealings.

I took names that Mike had found and sent to me. I was so touched by the Spirit even as I sat and waited for the name cards to be printed up, so thankful that I could be there.

Mom helped me sort out the cards and then I took the baptism ones down to the baptistry so the kids could get started. Then I came back up and went in and did some sealings with Mom and Dad, Marcy and Norm, and Bob and Dresden. After that we went into the Celestial room for a little bit. The Spirit was very strong for me there and I offered a prayer, I really missed having Mike there with me.

Grace told me that she felt the Spirit pretty strongly, especially when she was baptized for Nellie (her great grandma Isom whom she had met). I'm so glad she could have that experience.

Here's Mike and all the kids with Nellie the last time we visited with her before she passed away.

Manti Pageant

On Tuesday we went to the Manti pageant with Joe and Melanie and their kids and my mom and dad.

The drive down was pretty uneventful. We passed a really pretty lavender field...but obviously I was driving so I didn't get a picture of it.

When we arrived we went to get some dinner at a place called Dirk's Farmhouse Restaurant.

The food was good, my only complaint about the place was that they kept it soooo cold inside!

Then it was time to get our seats and wait for the sun to go down so the pageant would start.

While we waited we walked around the temple, checked out the dugout replica, played games, talked, ate snacks, and just enjoyed being together.

 Noah took a few minutes to try and teach me the right way to take selfies...

so I would stop taking them like an old person :) (his words)
He totally snatched my sunglasses for this selfie :)

We enjoyed the pageant...mostly :)

I think there were some excellent parts, and I felt the Spirit...but I also think that some of it is super cheesy and is in desperate need of being updated.

Thankfully the drive home seemed shorter than the drive there, an answer to my prayers because I was pretty tired! All in all, I'm glad the we made the trip. 

Ogden Temple Open House and Bush Family Reunion

Yesterday we went to the Ogden Temple open house. They really redid this temple completely! It looks entirely different, but it's absolutely beautiful inside and out!
I had told Anna that the Ogden temple was the first temple I ever went to and so on the tour she kept asking me if certain things were there when I was there as a kid :)

We love the temples and the feelings we get there. I'm so thankful for my wonderful husband and that he is willing to be stuck with me for eternity :)

After the open house we changed our clothes and headed over to the Bush Family Reunion. I didn't seem to take very many pictures at the reunion. We had a nice time reconnecting with family that we don't see very often. I did get some pictures of the traditional candy/money dig :)

Eve was so excited to find stuff, so fun to watch her.

 Anna and Julianne ready for their age group to get a turn

 The big kids got in on the action too :)

Glad that they decided to do the candy/money dig. They weren't going to do it, because it was pretty windy...but they eventually decided to try it.

Another temple trip with cousins

I don't get tired of seeing these wonderful kids go to the temple!

I love it!

Cousins temple trip

So awesome that these kids would get up so early to go to the temple.

(I guess I'm pretty awesome too, because I got up to take them there, ha ha)

Grace was so excited for her first temple trip.

 It's cool that they could all go together, and my mom and dad were both assigned to the

font in the baptistry so they were there too.

We found out later from my parents that we were so smart to go early.

We had the place pretty much to ourselves, but by 6 or maybe 6:30

the place was packed and they said it didn't let up!

There was standing room only and people had to wait a LONG time just to get in.

November 29th, 2013

Trek West - Part Two - Our Journey Continues

After leaving Juanita and David's we headed for Nauvoo.

On the way we stopped for some pictures at the St. Louis arch.

We made it to Nauvoo and took a look around.

We stopped at the William Gheen home.

 He is one of my ancestors on my mom's side.
The missionaries that live there let me come in and look around.
We each got a prairie diamond from the blacksmith shop
and the kids were put to work in the printing office.

We made it to some other historical buildings and sites.

Burial place of Joseph, Emma and Hyrum

 We stopped at the temple too of course.

 At night we went to a neat program that the young missionaries put on.
I can't remember what it was called, but it was a walk that we went on and stopped and heard
different stories of people who lived in Nauvoo and their struggles and blessings
and what they went through, especially as they prepared to leave.

By the time we made it to our hotel, we were all ready for sleep.
I wish we could've spent another day in Nauvoo, there is so much we missed,
I guess that means we will have to go back someday.

The next day Mike and I walked across the street to a farmer's market.

We bought a no-fool 'em jalapeno pepper

(it looks like a real jalapeno, but hasn't got the heat)

We told the kids that who ever dared to take a bite of it could pick

their seat in the car for the next leg of the trip.

Anna was the one who did it!

 Then she told them that it wasn't hot at all :)

(in Dallin's defense, he says he was in the shower when

we offered and he would have done it)

Our first stop of the day was Carthage Jail.

So much history and such a feeling there.

Next we headed to Adam-ondi-Ahman.
On our way there we had to stop for gas.
A lady working at the gas station saw Sasha and ran out to see if we
would let her give Sasha some ice cream.
She was enamored with Sasha...
and I think Sasha was grateful for the cool treat!

We finally made it to Adam-ondi-Ahman

It was beautiful, and so peaceful.

 While we were there we had the place all to ourselves.

Only on our way out did we see anyone else.

Our next stop was Liberty Jail.

We cut it very close and almost missed it,

but the wonderful missionaries working there let us in and

gave us an abbreviated tour.

 That night for dinner we gave our kids their first experience at Sonic.
(Well first that they remember. I think we took them once before long ago)

Anna ordered a wacky pack (kid's meal) and we all joked that it truly made her wacky!